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The Virginia Mountain Bears is a group of gay hairy men, their admirers and supporters who are dedicated to brotherhood and unity. Started in January of 2006 in Roanoke, Va the Virginia Mountain Bears club has taken off with over 70 members in our first year, and ended 2007 with 112 active members. Our goal is to promote awareness of diversity and provide support to our community while creating a safe and friendly atmosphere for bears and their admirers to socialize and grow as a group.
On Sept 7th 2007 the first ever Mountain Bear Madness was held in Roanoke, VA. Attended by bears, cubs, daddies, chubs and chasers, the event was a huge success with a sold out attendance of 200 men. The event was highlighted by our outdoor excursions, the food, the drinks, and the absolutely wonderful attendees who helped make the weekend something that all of us here are super proud of.
“Roanoke, Virginia is a thriving 21st
century community nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
It’s an intriguing mix of “big
city” and urban village. Set halfway between New York and Atlanta,
Roanoke is the vibrant economic engine and cultural
center for the entire southwestern part of Virginia. Known historically
as the “Capital of the Blue Ridge,” Roanoke continues to
be the region’s crossroads for commerce. Its revitalized downtown
core is all big city bustle with an impressive array of arts, recreation
and cultural amenities as well as an aggressive economic strategy to
ensure that the city continues to develop and attract high-tech and
manufacturing businesses in its burgeoning biotechnology, optics, information
technology
and transportation sectors.
Roanoke is a city of charming tree-lined neighborhoods
and arresting mountain views that make it feel less like a big city
and more like home. From almost any street in Roanoke, you can see
the Blue
Ridge Mountains. It’s a view guaranteed to refresh your mind
and energize your soul. Some of the best hiking, camping and back-country
experiences anywhere along the Appalachian trail can be found in the
Roanoke area, and tourists and residents alike take advantage of the
incomparable natural and recreational experiences the region has to
offer.
Home to more than 60 parks and wilderness areas, Roanoke makes stewardship
of the local and regional environment one of its top priorities.
It’s
this careful balance between the built and natural environment, the
dynamic energy of the city’s emerging technologies combined
with its stunning backwoods beauty and exceptional amenities that makes
Roanoke such an exciting and welcoming place to be.
With over 60 scheduled airline flights arriving and departing daily, the Roanoke Regional Airport offers nonstop service to a dozen major cities, as well as frequent connecting service through the hubs of five major airlines. Surrounded by spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the terminal is designed for ease and comfort. From parking your car, through ticketing, right up to the gate, the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission knows how to efficiently move passengers without sacrificing courtesy or consideration.
Fly Allegiant Air, US Airways, United Express, Northwest Airlink, or the Delta Connection carriers, ASA and Comair. You can get nonstop or convenient connecting service to dozens of leading metropolitan cities. Wherever you want to go, Roanoke Regional Airport offers convenient connections through domestic and international gateways in Orlando, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Charlotte.
Roanoke is the home to several artistic, cultural, and historical organizations.
Center in the Square was opened in downtown Roanoke on December 9, 1983 near the city market as part of the city's downtown revitalization effort. The Center, a converted warehouse, houses the History Museum of Western Virginia, which contains exhibits and artifacts related to the area's history and has a library of materials available to scholars and the public. The Center also houses the Science Museum of Western Virginia and the Hopkins Planetarium.
Mill Mountain Theatre, a regional theatre, is located on the first floor of Center in the Square. As the name implies, the theatre was originally located on Mill Mountain from 1964 until 1976 when its original facility was destroyed by fire. The theatre has both a main stage for mainstream performances and a smaller black box theatre called Waldron Stage which hosts both newer and more experimental plays along with other live events. The best known events are an annual festival of new plays and the "No Shame Theatre" every Friday at 11 PM which is open to any performance that is "original, five minutes or less, and doesn’t break anything – people, the space, or laws." Mill Mountain Theatre has an atelier for visiting actors in a former downtown hotel.
The Center's other prominent tenant is the Art Museum of Western Virginia. The art museum features 19th and 20th century American art, contemporary and modern art, decorative arts, and works on paper, and presents exhibitions of both regional and national significance. The art museum has begun construction of a new 75,000 square foot facility designed by Los Angeles architect Randall Stout, who worked under Frank Gehry. The facility's design has sparked debate in the community between those who feel it would be bold, refreshing addition to Roanoke and those who feel its unusual, irregular design featuring sharp angles contrasts too strongly with the existing buildings. Some are also concerned about the cost at a time when many Roanoke area artistic organizations face financial challenges.
Roanoke's best known museum is the Virginia Museum of Transportation which houses many locomotives which were built in Roanoke, most prominently the Norfolk and Western J class #611 and A class #1218 steam engines, and other locomotives and rolling stock. As the name implies, however, the museum also covers the whole scope of transportation including aviation, automobiles, and buses.
Roanoke's landmark former passenger rail station has hosted the O. Winston Link Museum dedicated to the railroad photography of O. Winston Link since 2004. |
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